Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 2 Dec 2003

Vol. 576 No. 1

Written Answers. - Legal Aid Service.

Seán Crowe

Ceist:

298 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons awaiting to avail of free legal aid for separation and divorce; the average waiting time; and the additional resources his Department is proposing to supply to reduce this waiting time. [29009/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

I can inform the Deputy that the Legal Aid Board does not maintain records of the number of people awaiting particular legal remedies. However, it does record the length of time the person longest on the waiting list at each law centre has waited. For the Deputy's information the table below shows the length of time the person longest on the waiting list has waited as of October, 2003 for each law centre.

The Deputy will be aware that the allocation to the Legal Aid Board for 2004 has increased by 5% to €18.388 million. This increase follows a pattern of increased funding to the Legal Aid Board since 1997. The 2004 grant-in-aid for the board represents an increase of 71% in funding since 1997. When an increase of this magnitude is compared to an increase of just 26.63% in the consumer price index during the period from January 1997 to October of this year, the Deputy will agree that in recent years the Legal Aid Board has received significantly increased resources in real terms. In addition, the board now has sanction to employ 89 solicitors throughout its law centre network, an increase of eight solicitor posts during the period in question.

I can also inform the Deputy that the board operates a procedure whereby priority is accorded for certain categories of cases, for example, domestic violence, child-care, child abduction and other cases where there are time limits. These cases are dealt with immediately and such applicants are not placed on a waiting list. Such a system for priority treatment is necessary to ensure that persons subjected to domestic violence and cases involving the care of children are provided with a speedy service. It is important to note that in 2002 priority appointments offered by law centres was approximately 22% of the total number of appointments offered to new clients during the year.

In addition managing solicitors at law centres have authority to give priority to any case on the waiting list at their centre. For example, if an applicant is gravely ill or in cases where an applicant is in danger of losing assets or of losing title to a legal remedy if services are delayed, the managing solicitor can accord such case priority status.

I can also assure the Deputy that the Legal Aid Board continuously monitors the operation of its law centre network and where waiting times at any law centre, for whatever reason, become excessive the position is examined by the board with a view to taking remedial action.

Maximum Waiting Time in Months

October 2003

Law Centre	Number of Months
Athlone	2.00
Castlebar	1.50
Cavan	2.75
Cork Peoples Quay	12.00
Cork South Mall	7.00
Blanchardstown	4.00
Clondalkin	2.75
Finglas	8.75
Gardiner Street	7.00
Brunswick Street	15.50
Ormond Quay	3.75
Tallaght	5.50
Dundalk	3.00
Ennis	12.00
Galway	8.00
Kilkenny	9.00
Letterkenny	6.00
Limerick	3.25
Longford	–
Monaghan	–
Navan	10.00
Nenagh	7.00
Newbridge	6.00
Port Laoise	11.00
Sligo	3.00
Kerry	5.50
Tullamore	2.00
Waterford	2.50
Wexford	3.25
Wicklow	11.75